Safety of cloned animal products uncertain: EU agency

DEADLOCK

Debates almost always end in deadlock, meaning the European Commission gets the final say.

"The very preliminary reaction to this report is that it gives rise to increased concerns on aspects of animal health and welfare. Due to the absence of data there are also some food safety open questions," the Commission said in a statement.

With or without EFSA's backing, the EU executive says consumers will need to be convinced and intends to carry out an EU-wide consumer survey on the issue in September.

"The results of this survey could be the deciding factor. If EU citizens say they oppose cloning, then it could kill the whole issue," one Commission official familiar with the matter said.

"But of course if the results prove to be mixed and unclear, then we could have a battle of hearts and minds on the issue based on science and morality."

More than half of shoppers in a recent survey by the International Food Information Council said they were unlikely to buy food made from cloned animals.

The largest U.S. dairy producer and distributor, Dean Foods, said last month that it would not sell milk from cloned animals due to consumer concerns.

In March 2007, the European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- asked the Bologna-based food agency to investigate the merits of cloning, prompted after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its backing to meat and milk products from cloned cattle, pigs and goats.